A couple of weeks ago, the US National Nanotechnology Initiative released a progress review on its 2011 nanotechnology environmental, health and safety research strategy.

This progress review provides a useful and timely update on activities and outputs across the federal government addressing the environmental, health and safety implications of engineered nano materials. The review confirms that the US federal government has made great strides over the past several years in developing and implementing a research strategy aimed at supporting the safe and responsible development of engineered nanomaterials. It also confirms that US agencies are working together and leveraging resources to address critical issues, and are making a significant contribution to a global understanding of nanomaterial risks and risk management.

However, this is primarily a list of activities. It also only reports on activities up to September 2012, and so is a little out of date. Because of this, the update does not respond reports and reviews related to nanotechnology risk research from the Government Accountability Office and the National Research Council, which make specific recommendations on research investment and directions.

As a result, the review lacks specific information on advances in understanding; progress toward actionable benchmarks that enable informed decisions by companies, regulators and consumers; a synthesis of the state of knowledge resulting from the over $100 million a year investment on nano EHS research by the federal government, or an analysis of areas where course corrections and adjustments are needed, in line with the stated aim of adaptive management processes. It does mention important partnerships with OECD and ISO in developing approaches to safer development and use of engineered nanomaterials, but otherwise does not place current research in the US in the context of global efforts.  It also does not address how global research is being integrated and applied to help ensure current applications of nanotechnology as are as safe as practicable – although this was probably outside the remit of the review.

This level of research accounting is extremely important. Yet the responsible development and use of engineered nanomaterials depends on more than activity – it needs research that is guided by commercialization trends and risk challenges that can sometimes evolve rapidly, and the synthesis, translation and application of this research to ensure evidence-informed decisions in a fast-moving area.